Liverpool’s defensive issues continued at Manchester United and Roy Keane has named two issues that Jurgen Klopp must solve ahead of their game against Bournemouth this weekend
Roy Keane has identified Liverpool's defence and their bickering on the pitch as the main areas they should be concerned about following their 2-1 defeat against Manchester United on Monday.
Jurgen Klopp's side were second-best from the get-go and fell behind courtesy of Jadon Sancho's 15th-minute strike. It means that the Reds have conceded the first goal in seven successive Premier League matches, stretching back to the 1-1 draw with Tottenham back in May.
Although Liverpool grew into the game, they were undone on the counter-attack just after half-time as Marcus Rashford doubled United's lead, coolly slotting home past Alisson. The Reds pulled one back in the 81st minute through Mohamed Salah, but it was too little, too late as Liverpool suffered their first defeat of the season.
Liverpool have struggled defensively of late and haven't kept a clean sheet since the FA Cup final – six matches in total. Trent Alexander-Arnold was ran ragged by Anthony Elanga and Marcus Rashford all evening, while Virgil van Djik also endured a tough evening.
He told Sky Sports : "I'd be worried if I was Klopp and what I'd seen tonight. Defensively very causal, Van Dijk I thought he could've done better, tonight. We seen him arguing with James Milner and that can happen but it seemed more than that. It seemed more than normal."
The Reds were particularly shaky in defence at Old Trafford, which has been a common theme so far this season, during which they have already shipped five goals. This is four more than at this stage last season, despite playing a similar level of opponents, namely Norwich, Burnley and Chelsea.
Where will Liverpool finish this season? Let us know in the comments below!
Sancho's opener led to a heated exchange between James Milner and Virgil van Dijk, with the former Manchester City midfielder appearing to criticise the Dutchman's attempts to prevent Sancho scoring, but Klopp played down any rumours of a rift between the pair.
Klopp said: "We don’t have any kind of issues. I have not any kind of issues in the team like this. That nobody is happy after you lose a game is completely normal, but this is not an explanation, not an excuse or whatever. It’s all fine there, in this department."
Meanwhile, left-back Andy Robertson lamented the team's inability to get going as they fell further off the pace after just three games. He told Sky Sports: "We give every team a goal start which is the base of the game, we can't give ourselves an uphill battle.
"That is what needs to change, we can't keep going behind. In the warm up it was the quietest I have heard this stadium and they wanted something to lift them and we gave them it. Two points from nine is not the start we wanted. We need to pick up our performances individually and collectively.
What do Liverpool need to clinch the title? Keep up with all the Reds news with our FREE daily newsletter